Fife Council has been given the green light to expand its recycling schemes with a £70m cash boost from the Scottish Executive.

It will open four new staffed recycling centres in St Andrews, Tayport, Dalgety Bay and Levenmouth and extend its successful kerbside collection scheme.

The money will be paid in annual grants up until 2020 and also be used to fund 250 new recycling points across Fife.

The council hopes to reach a 28% recycling rate by the end of 2005.

The funding comes from the executive's Strategic Waste Fund (SWF) and helps to pay for projects which help reduce the amount of council landfill.

Environment Minister Ross Finnie said: "The executive is committed to transforming the country's record on waste reduction, recycling, composting and recovery.

With this finance we'll be able to commit a further £3.9m a year to improving Fife's recycling record

Anne McGovernFife Council leader

"This funding will help ensure many of the citizens in Fife will have access to recycling facilities.

"Every month, recycling becomes easier for Scots with new and improved kerbside facilities, recycling bins and other services being provided across the country."

Fife Council will spend more than £1m in this financial year expanding its kerbside recycling scheme where householders have wheelie bins for paper and organic green waste.

Wheelie bins

Almost half of Fife's homes, 70,0000 households, will have the bins by the end of next year while 85% of householders currently have bins for recycling paper.

The number of recycling points in towns and villages will be increased to more than 420 - one for every 500 homes - and the recycling message will be put out to people through new awareness and education campaigns.

The cash is a welcome boost to the council which has to meet stringent European and national targets to reduce landfill or face stiff financial penalties.

Europe and the executive have set targets for reducing waste

Fife Council leader councillor Anne McGovern said: "Fife Council can't pay for the massive investment needed to divert household rubbish from landfill sites into recycling on its own.

"With this finance we'll be able to commit a further £3.9m a year to improving Fife's recycling record.

"In the year 2001-2 we managed to recycle or compost just 2.3% of household waste.

"This year, we are expected to recycle or compost 20%, which constitutes a remarkable turnaround."